I've been having these freezing issues in games (CS:Source and HL2) that also involve looping sounds when they occur. I went to the steam website and went to the support section and apparently they know the problem. According to them it's the sound card. They say if you have an on-board soundchip (which I am using) I should update the drivers for my mobo and audio. So I got the 6.53 drivers for the mobo which came bundled actually with the 4.60 audio drivers as well which I'm pretty sure are the newest. So anyway, I restart with all the new drivers and what not and start up Source. I start playing and well what do you know, it's freezing with in about a matter of seconds. Of course when it does freeze, it doesn't actually freeze and just sorta sit there so that I have to close the program, it just sorta skips, like it'll stop for about 5 seconds and sometimes even 20 or more with looping sounds to really piss you off and then it'll play again. So the game isn't totally unplayable, but this is extremely annoying and even though I've been playing it like this almost ever since I made the comp (February) I haven't gotten used to it the slightest bit. I also have other problems with games, but that's cuz I got messed up ram which I'm too lazy to RMA, but I'll have to do it soon. ANYWAY, I also tried disabling the chip in my BIOS which worked for a little, but then OCCASIONALLY, the freeing would still occur which is really strange cuz they siad to try that as well and it did work, but then on some occasions I would still get the freezing. So does this all mean that the chip is fried or just generally messed up and buying an actual sound card would fix the problem, or could it be something else? Thanks.

yeah, i had a similar prob. i just went out and bought a $30 sound blaster 24-bit card. it worked fine for me after that so yeah. on board audio sux anyways so you'll also be getting good sound qaulity too

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Macbook Pro and Logitech z5500s. All you really need.

Yeah, onboard sound isn't good. What I don't get though is you disabled the onboard sound, and you still got sound?

I get this sometimes on new games on my Sound Blaster Live which is not onboard though, I've only seen the problem playing Tomb Raider Angel Of Darkness recently, but thats because I didn't want to update the drivers I think. I found updating them took a program off which I liked for allowing more reverb...weird really. So that would be my problem

I would update your sound card none the less Better Quality, no looping, like Jac006 says

I would update your sound card none the less Better Quality, no looping, like Jac006 says

indeed. seriouilsy, the difference between onboard and sound blaster was... well huge. well, for me, i have perfect picth, so i could tell. but besides that, no looping and you finally play cs:source. and maybe my team too!

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Macbook Pro and Logitech z5500s. All you really need.

Yeah it's so weird cuz like the first week or so I was playing fine and then outa nowhere I'm getting this weird lag with annoying sounds and eventually it just kept happening. Oh and when I said I disabled he chip, I wasn't getting sound and it didn't happen all the time. 90% of the time it wouldn't, but on rare occasions I dunno it would happ

Yeah it's so weird cuz like the first week or so I was playing fine and then outa nowhere I'm getting this weird lag with annoying sounds and eventually it just kept happening. Oh and when I said I disabled the chip, I wasn't getting sound and it didn't happen all the time. 90% of the time it wouldn't, but on rare occasions I dunno it would happen which is really weird, but hey at least I couldn't hear the looping. Ah well I guess I gotta save 30 bucks and if that doesn't solve it then I'll go insane.

EDIT: Sorry for the double post, I accidently clicked post when I was typing it and I shoulda just edited that post. Mods can delete the first post if they want.